Springsteen and Jesse Malin was like peas and carrots...

Hey there fellow seekers of creation and curiosity, I am especially overjoyed today to report that there is some new Bruce Springsteen out there. My affinity for the Boss equals that of a beloved family member, so I just can never get enough, even if it's just a guest duet spot on "Broken Radio", a great song on Jesse Malin's new disc Glitter in the Gutter. If you're not familiar with Jesse, it's about time you did...he fronted the 90's punk outfit D Generation, but has released three stellar solo albums since 2002, each better than the last. Malin's good friend Ryan Adams produced his debut The Fine Art of Self Destruction , and guests on the new record as well. Jesse holds musical similiarities with Springsteen in being able to balance driving rock anthems with sensitive piano ballads, but definitely carves out his own identity with his unique and insightful songwriting. Here's the collaboration between the two, sure to be a classic, but hey don't take my word for it. Do yourself a favor, go out and pick up Jesse's music, and maybe use this as an excuse to rediscover some old Springsteen. As for me, I just went back and listened to The River for the first time in awhile, and man does it hold up. I didn't do a write in vote for Bruce in 2004 for nothing...

Any Pearl Jam is better than no Pearl Jam...

Hey everybody, I know not everyone are Pearl Jam fans, but myself and most others in the civilized world that I know happen to be. So it is with great joy to officially have some new PJ...if you've seen the preview for the new Adam Sandler flick Reign Over Me then you have heard it. A rousing and faithful cover of the Who's classic tune is the centerpiece and namesake of the film, and it happens to be on the Pearl Jam fanclub's official holiday single just mailed out. The song, along with a great live version of Neil Young's rebellion anthem "Rocking in the Free World", is a worthy addition to the already hugely wonderful PJ catalog. Here are the songs, along with a link to the fansites below, if you want to shell out the 20 bucks and "officially" become a Pearl Jam follower. Another thing, you can be the judge, but I think Roger Daltrey is probably thinking right now he should've recorded Eddie's scream to take along to play on last year's reunion tour...it's pretty impressive.

www.pearljam.com

www.tenclub.com

Don't play bass for Lucinda Williams (unless you want a dark & timeless song written about you)...

Lucinda Williams seems depressed...or pissed off...or moody...or anything but happy whenever she writes songs. Over the course of a 25 plus year career and 9 albums, including this months' West, we've been treated to a close up of her various bass players, her heart and it's states of brokenness and how she feels about it all. Some critics have been harsh about her recurring and seemingly monotonous themes and moody sounds and production, but I for one, am always impressed by an artist such as she. If someone has actually been through the stuff in her songs, I would say they'd consider themselves lucky to be able to turn it into such creativity (and not throw themselves off a bridge in the process), and plus, she is a damn fine singer and performer. I saw her live a few years back and she played for four and a half hours...So if you don't mind some darkness in your musical taste, along with breathtaking honesty, damn good guitar playing and top notch songwriting, check it out. Here's her site, plus a link to a live show that was on NPR from last year, and one of the more upbeat & sweet songs, I'm guessing an ode to her sweet Mama...

www.lucindawilliams.com

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4767023

http://rapidshare.com/files/18798553/02-lucinda_williams-mama_you_sweet.mp3.html

Some nice new sounds...

M. Ward has always been a bit of a mystery, from the usage of just his first initial to his very moody and ethereal sounds that he's created over the course of 4 albums, including last summer's stellar Post-War. He seems to be hitting his stride now, even going commercial, with his song on the new Cadillac TV spot. But an artist as creative as he is can still be fresh and new

even on other peoples songs, as he does on his new ep, To Go

Home, out this week. The title track is an old Daniel Johnston tune, and also check out the rollicking version of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's "Headed for a Fall". Definitely hope for the future, in music that is. Below are 2 songs and his myspace...so go ahead, open your mind and enjoy.

http://www.myspace.com/mward

http://rapidshare.com/files/18628703/M._Ward_Post-War_02_To_Go_Home.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/18629087/mward-headed_for_a_fall.mp3.html

All roads lead to the Band...

You could say the Band are an obsession with me. And why not? They were Bob Dylan's original backing band, they had 4 different singers and songwriters(try that kind of multitasking) and they had Martin freaking Scorcese make a movie about them breaking up, the now classic concert/documentary The Last Waltz...and now they are truly legendary as ever. It's sad that we'll never be treated to hearing them play live again, given that Richard Manuel and Rick Danko, two of the most unique voices and talented players, are no longer with us. But we do take solace in knowing that the surviving members and their offspring still make great music today (See Ollabelle) and that one hell of a tribute album has finally been released. Endless Highway-the music of the Band was released a few weeks ago and collects a nice mix of young and old, known and unknown, faithful and reinvented in interpreting this wonderful influential music that needs to be heard. Here are just a few of my faves, classics done by the likes of My Morning Jacket, Jack Johnson & Death Cab for Cutie, in that order...Enjoy.

http://rapidshare.com/files/16248056/03_My_Morning_Jacket__It_Makes_No_Difference.mp3

http://rapidshare.com/files/16248309/04_Jack_Johnson_-_I_Shall_Be_Released.mp3

http://rapidshare.com/files/16248434/14_Death_Cab_For_Cutie_-_Rocking_Chair.mp3